At AgeLab, Gov. Baker Signs Executive Order Forming State Council to Address Aging

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At AgeLab, Gov. Baker Signs Executive Order Forming State Council to Address Aging

Wed, 04/12/2017

On April 12 at the AgeLab, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed an Executive Order creating the Governor’s Council to Address Aging in Massachusetts. The Governor—along with Secretary of Elder Affairs Alice Bonner and Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders—chose AgeLab as an example and platform for innovations in aging.

The Council, composed of 24 leaders in business, health care, technology, advocacy, and policymaking, is tasked to develop a plan "to improve public and private efforts to support healthy aging in Massachusetts."

Along with Council appointees and members of the Baker administration, representatives of start-ups, groups, and organizations that collaborate with the MIT AgeLab were present for the signing of the Executive Order. These included Dennis Lally and Charles Lin of Rendever, Noelle Marcus and Rachel Goor of Nesterly, Dina Katabi, Chen-Yu Hsu, and Rumen Hristov of Emerald, Mike Radice of Chartacloud Technologies, and John Blair and David Levington from the AgeLab's Lifestyle Leaders panel. Rendever, Nesterly, Emerald, and Chartacloud presented their innovations around aging to the Governor.

MIT AgeLab Director Joseph F. Coughlin, Ph.D., was one of the leaders named to the Governor’s Council. Speaking prior to the signing, Dr. Coughlin said, “Increased longevity is among humankind's greatest achievements. The challenge we now face is to live not just longer, but also better. Innovations being developed here at MIT and throughout the Commonwealth promise to improve life for older adults and their families. Moreover, these new technologies, services, and related businesses are fast positioning Massachusetts as the global leader in the fast-growing longevity economy.”

Read the press release from the Governor’s Office on the signing here; view the Governor's remarks made prior to the signing here; and read an MIT News piece on the Governor's visit here.

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